They say it's Your Birthday!!!!

Hello All!!

I have a card to show you today!  I fell IN LOVE with the dressed up line in the Spring Mini - I mean IN LOVE........and sadly to say this is the first thing I have cranked out with it

Wanna see?

A few things to note quickly - the skirt was made with the new 1 14/ inch two-tone ribbon in Pink Pirouette/Rose Red and the waist band is pink pirouette satin ribbon accented with a flower from the new 5/8" flower trim.  LOVE THESE!!!!!

Here is a closer look at the dress-a-roo........

I would love to know what you think of this little gem!

The weather outside is frightful.......

...........but Paper Crafters Sampler is SO DELIGHTFUL!

This month we have all focused on Christmas - What fun!  I had so much fun with this card - nothing says warmth on a cold winter day like a cup of hot cocoa.

I have a little sneak peek for your enjoyment ;)

Head on over to Paper Crafters Sampler to check it out - if you decide to join up, tell Mel that Regina sent you.  Use the code PCSRC.

Back in the saddle again!!

Well - HELLO!!!

I have been so desperately wanting to get back at it, regularly.  Life just seems to take over - with a vengence - lol!  So, I decided to pull out the stops and go with the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge - what a great starting place!   This week was a color challenge - check it out:

Wowzers - good fun, that combo, huh?!!???

My birthday card supply is getting depleated......so I wanted to do that theme. ;)  Want to see what I did with it?


No?  Ok - well......I guess we will chat later.



BAWAHAHHAAAAAA!!!!!!!


Just kidding!  Here is what I did:

I did all of the coloring with stampin write markers.  see?

I also had to "do up" the inside - lol!!!

Sorry to not put too much detail in this post - but I am in a New York rush.....living in Pennsylvania!  HAHA!!!
Thanks for stopping by my little piece of blog-land!

WOW - it had been a while!

Hi All!!

Sorry for the extended absense......all I have to offer for that is the same old same old......life keeps me on my toes, to say the least.  ;)  I do have a bit of eye candy for you today though......not the ususal type of thing I share, but something I felt I needed to make and get out in the mail.

Do I have you confused yet?  Just a bit confused??  heheheheeee.....

Well.....I will start way back on Friday, October 29th at 4:00 in the evening.  My cell phone rings - it is my husband's set ring on my phone - so I know it is him before I even answer.  He asks me if I am sitting down......This can't be good news, right?  I say no, I'm not....what is it?  He says I think you need to be sitting down.  OK  -  I am about in panic mode about now.  So he proceeded to tell me he gets a call from work (he is a truck driver) first thing that morning.......OK - now I am really nervous........And let me tell you....my husband is a slow story teller.  He repeats things over and over and stumbles around the point......I am like just spit it out!  He then says to me - They called to tell me my name was drawn for Steelers tickets for Sunday's game - You know the game - Steelers wiped the floor with the Patriots - lol - I was like - NO SIR......You are lying.  He said Honestly - I did.  And then the story gets better and better......Our ticket package is a Legends Package.  HOLY CRAP!!!!!  He proceeds to tell me in our package in his mailbox at work will be a parking pass for the parking garage, seat tickets in the Legends section of Heinz Field (Which is actually at field level......we had to go down to the field to get our seats!!!)  And that our envelope would also contain tickets to get into the Legends Tent for a pre-game dinner with Steelers Legends Players - DOUBLE HOLY CRAP!!!!!!  This was my first Steelers game and it was done up right, let me tell you.  OH MY......

Wondering where I am going with all of this?  LOL......I just wanted to get this info out there.....hehe....no really - I do have some cards for you to see today.  I wanted to make a Thank You card for the company owner, and the two office men that were really hospitible with us with a little tailgaiting before we went to the legends tent - but I knew that just any ordinary Thank You card wasn't going to cut it.....So I came up with this:

A hoot right?  I used the thank you sentiment from Curly and Cute and then made my own template for the three inverted circles of the Steelers logo and cut the corcles with my circle scissor plus.  I thought they came out cute - and the entire office is absolutely Steelers CRAZY so I think they will like them.  Hope they will like them because a card can't thank them enough for the experience we had that day -

Well.....that about sums it up - Oh wait!   Wanna see one of the legends we got to see that day?

My husband was in awe of Rocky Bleier - and he was super nice and we could tell he really enjoyed being around the Steelers fans!

I'm falling for you -

:)

Hi Everyone!!!  Can you believe it?????  Two days in a row???  I just had to participate in the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge this week - I LOVED the sketch!  Well - I love all of the challenges, but actually had time to carve out for this one.....if there were only about three more days in a week - don't you feel that way sometimes?  hehe!   Wanna see the sketch??

That is a nice one, huh?  And guess what?  I pondered on it for a couple of days and decided on pairing up the Gently Falling set from the mini with the Spice Cake fabric - also from the mini  (  ;)  )  with some totally essential stamps that are from the set French Foliage - it is in the current idea book and catalog - but it was in last year's holiday mini.......do you see a great love of the leaf sets that come out in the holiday minis and me?  hehehehheeee.......
Oh Yeah - I bet you are wondering what I did???  I kind of got a bit side tracked - sorry ;)

Well?  you like?  I used some torn strips of the fabric in place of the three horizontal strips on the sketch - LOVE that!!  The leaves are more mustard, pool party and pear pizzazz topped with an outline of soft suede.  I then went over the entire panel with the three ESSENTIAL stamps from french foliage - the circle paris stamp, the tiny text stamp and the ink blot looking thing - those three stamps could be piled onto anything and it would look Great!!!  And the sentiment comes from Hand Penned, also from the mini - what a gorgeous stamp set!!  Take a closer look at the "stress" my main image panel went through:

that was great fun to rip, tear and dirty up!!

Oh, I don't want to forget - I also did up the inside, of course.....I can't hardly complete a card without doing it, huh??

Well - what do you think? 

Let's back things up a bit, shall we?

Hi All!!!

I gave you a taste of Christmas last week with the stockings - but I feel like I needed to back it up a bit - maybe back to the season at hand.  Well - back to school plus one......how about some halloween eye candy?  LOL!!!

Guess What!?!?!?!?  I finally got to bring an idea to fruition this morning.......it has been a busy week so this was the first time I got to sit down in my studio to get inky.  You know where I went first for inspiration, right???  Oh yeah - the Create with Connie and Mary challenge!!!  This week it was a color challenge.  Wanna see?

What did you immediately think of when you saw it???  I mean - the "first thing" you thought of????  I immediately thought - Greeting Card Kids.  Really - that is what I first thought of.......honestly - pinky swear ;)  Want to see what I cooked up this week?  Well, if you don't turn your head.....you are about to see it- LOL!!

Isn't she the sweetest little witch?  We will start with the card and move up to her, shall we?  You know me - I always have to add a bit of creative liberty - and add a neutral or two......so I went with a basic black card base and cut a panel from First Edition - an absolute MUST have pack of designer series paper - just sayin'.  ;)  I then stamped it with the flourish from Creative Elements in pumpkin pie.  I'm gonna LOVE that stamp - I am just warning you now - I can see it being on everything - e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.

And when you think of halloween - you immediately think of a "baby themed" pack of designer series paper, right?  Of course you do - so I pulled out Nursery Nest for the addition of pear pizazz.  The rich razzleberry panel is from the brights designer paper pack.  Did you notice the same flourish stamped on those panels with basic black ink???  I warned you ;)  I sewed the rich razzleberry, pumpkin pie and basic black buttons right onto the panel with linen thread before adhering it to the card - that way - you do not have to worry that  the adhesive will allow the buttons to come off - and it only takes a second to pierce holes where the button holes are and tie linen thread through them.  easy peasy - i swear. 

Now onto that adorable little witch - wanna see her a little closer???

I stamped her onto watercolor paper with black staz on ink.  She was then colored in with ink refills and an aquapainter.  I did have to add a small glow of so saffron ink around her - if I have said it once, I have said it a million times - watercolored images need some sort of "grounding" - in my opinion - for what I know....which isn't much - lol!!!  It is very subtle looking at the card, but it really does make the image pop out.  Did you see her hat buckle???  No? - go back up and look - I colored it with gold smooch ink.  She was then punched with the 2 1/2 inch circle punch.  And see that scalloped circle around her????  It is from the NEW Perfect Pennants Bigz L die - LOVE that there are two scallop circle dies on there - YAY!!!!!!  The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes (no shock there from me, huh? lol)  If you look closely enough - the flourish from Creative Elements is also stamped there in pumpkin pie, it is stamped off so it is subtle - but it is there  :)  All edges of the card are sponged with basic black ink - I had to dirty it up a bit.........had to.

Wait!!  There is more - I did up the inside as well.  Wanna see?

The sentiment there is from Grateful Greetings -


Well - what do you think of this little sweetie?  She sure was fun to bring to life.  Now - go stamp some goodness, it is good for your mental stability, really........... 

Hung by the chimney with BLING!!!

HI All!!!

I checked out the Create with Connie and Mary challenge yesterday - it was a sketch challenge - yummy!  Now -  a little background on me with challenges.  I usually let my mind "sit" ona challenge for a few hours (or days) to get my idea rolling......but when I saw the sketch for this week - I immediately knew what I wanted to do......but I didn't want to jump right in head first....I needed to ponder it a while to make sure i didnt' change my mind.  WELL - there was no other thought for me.....I HAD to execute what my inital vision was.  I had to......

Do you want to see the sketch???  I bet you do......

Well - what do you see? 
ALL I could see was rotating that sketch and a fireplace is born.......I couldn't get it out of my head......Wanna see what I did with my vision?

Yes......everyone of those bricks were cut and sponged - with three colors - lol!!!  I put them on a river rock base to imitate mortor.  See?

But - let's move to the fore front, shall we?  Those adorable stockings are a HUGE sneak peek item in the holiday mini catalog - which is 43 pages of  creative heaven.........{{sigh}}.
The stamp set is Stitched Stockings.....and there is a coordinating punch - Stocking Builder Punch - LOVE it!!!  Check them out - a little closer ;)

The one on the left was stamped with poppy parade.  The cuff, toe and heel were punched with the BRAND NEW silver glimmer paper - aahhhhhh........  :)  The middle stocking was stamped with baja breeze.  It was blinged up by adding small adhesive rhinestones and - did you see it?????  NEW BLING BABY - Dazzling Details......dazzling diamonds meets glittler glue........Oh yeah - that's right!!  Now onto stocking number three.  It was stamped with lucky limeade.  The toe and heel are poppy parade covered with that new dazzling details glitter glue.  And the htree buttons are from the trinkets button brads.  They are adhered to a soft suede mantle stampes with woodgrain background and sponged.   I adhered a little bow of baker's twine with a small dot of crystal effects.

WELL.....that about sums it up - I think ;)  I would love to know your thoughts on this - right below in the comment section....go ahead.......I double dog dare ya!

WOW! It has been a while........

I can't believe how long it has been since I was able to stamp something that I can share - and boy have I missed it!!!  If you know me personally - you know that we hosted a baseball player for the summer from Colorado so we have been engulfed in his games  -it has been a really fun summer - busy, but fun!!  Well, he turns 21 on Sunday so I needed to whip him out a card to mail with his birthday gift.  I have some serious stamper's block going on - awful!  I have been stamping all summer, I made him a scrapbook of his season/summer here but not much cards unless it was for a class or club.  So - you know I had to turn to a challenge........What better challenge that the Create with Connie and Mary challenge - this week was a sketch challenge. Wanna see????

Kind of feminine, I think....but I think I manned it up  - wanna see what I did?

I know - I took some creative liberties here.  I flipped the sketch.......took the three elements that would be at the top of the flipped sketch and put it at the bottom - one element instead of three.......please don't beat me.....pretty please.......

I am on a time crunch here- but I will tell you I am LOVIN' the new designer series paper, Well Worn.  And the sentiment came from the hostess set, many birthday wishes. I adhered it to the new denim ribbon with a safety pin from trinkets.  Oh Yeah - the denim ribbon.......I bet you are all thinking that it will be stiff....like blue jeans - it isn't.......so pliable.  I am really liking it too.  shocker, uh?  LOL

Here is a closer look at the main image - the scallop circle is cut from the new pennant die.....a MUST have!  I also inked the chipboard numbers with the not quite navy craft ink spot. 

Everything on the card was roughed up and dirtied up - what do you think?  Make sure to keep checking back - I am going to share his entire scrapbook with all of you.  minus the sappy journaling at the end - LOL

Inspired Creation......

Hi All!!

I wasn't able to get in on last week's Create with Connie and Mary Challenge - and it just felt "off."  I really look forward to their challenges......so I wasn't going to let another week get away from me - lol.  And guess what?  This week's challenge is actually a two week challenge and they offer a color and/or sketch challenge.  I decided to just go with the color challenge today......here is the color challenge they proposed:

Well - I don't know about you but I immediately had one of those "thank goodness this stamp set didn't retire" moment......because I knew instantly I wanted to use Inspired by Nature......and after laying out the colors - I thought that I wanted to make a sympathy card.  It just came to me......simple as that.  :)  Wanna see what I did?

Well?  How did I do?  I had to throw a little bit of old olive ad soft suede in there for the sake of the flowers.....I hope I didn't violate any color challenge rules ;)  I stamped the flower image onto very vanilla and cut it out before adhering it down with stampin' dimensionals.  And can I say - welcome back basic gray satin ribbon.......y.u.m.m.y.!  The flowers were inked up with stampin write markers before stamping, see?

The colors used for the flowers were old olive, so saffron, pumpkin pie, soft suede and chocolate chip.  The smaller flower was stamped off before stamping it over the sentiment panel.    The sentiment, inside and out,  are from Thoughts and Prayers - another "thank goodness this didn't retire" stamp set.  ;)  And the new edition designer series paper making the new catalog - what else do i need to say about that???  This is one awesome collection of paper!  Oh did I mention that I prettied up the inside as well?  I didn't - well......here it is:

I would love to hear what you think of this little baby below in the comments section.  No one will bite you there ;)  Have a wonderful day!

I will "Awash" your Birthday with Flowers :)

Howdy All!!

I can't believe I finally got some time to stamp this week!  I gotta tell you - I am going to start scheduling it in my calendar!  Anyway - You know how it is - The Create with Connie and Mary Challenge rolls around every week.......and I love to participate in their challenges  ;)  So - of course when I get the chance to stamp and I haven't doen their challenge yet I must start there, right?  hehehe......  This week was no exception.  They are hosting a color challenge ove rthere this week - check it out:

Wow - that looks like summer, right?  Summery flowers........bright summery flowers......I bet you know where I am headed here.  ;)  Wanna see?

Well?  How did I do with that one?  I had to add the accent of black - it just seemed to fit and it is a neutral, right?  lol.  Don't you just love that sentiment?????  It is from the upcoming hostess set Happiest Brithday Wishes.  Just wait until you check out the new hostess program starting with the new catalog - can I say - "Anyone want a BIG SHOT FOR HALF PRICE??????"  Really - you just wait  ;)

Sorry - off in dream land again......
Back to the task at hand.  The flowers from Awash with Flowers were stamped with tangerine tango and tempting turquoise and then I stamped their outlines with black staz on.  Hence - the addition of basic black  :).  The bottom strip of old olive was also stamped with a leaf image from the same set.  I felt the bottom was missing a little pizzzazz - so I added three tempting turquois brads from the brights brad pack and lined them up with the mat pack and paper piercer - A STAPLE IN MY STUFF - lol.  Wrap basic black satin ribbon around the panel and tie a simple knot and there you go - a birthday card front.

HOLD ON - I still think is is missing a little something........a little more blingage, perhaps????  Ok - take a closer look:

I added smooch ink to the flowers to bring them to sparkly life.  you like?

Well - that about sums it up today.  I have a full day of this and that to accomplish.  lol  Now, GO STAMP.  ;)

Happiest Wishes!!

Hi All!  wow - it has been a while, huh?  Sorry about that - I have been busy getting things ready for my retirement party Wednesday and with life in general.  I have really been neglecting the challenges over at Create with Connie and Mary - and boy have I missed doing them - so when I had a little time today to create - I headed straight over there.  :)  And this week, they are hosting a sketch challenge - take a peeky:

And I had to pull out my preorder goodies for the new catalog......I just had to.......hehehe......  Wanna see what I came up with today?  Well - If you don't want to see - turn your head ;)

Don't you just {luv}} that new designer series paper????  It is from a new set called "Just Add Cake."  There are some awesome patterns in that pack - I can't wait to get the chance to play some more with that.    You recognize the cupcake stack on the tag element, right?  It is from one of my favorites - Crazy for Cupcakes.  The tag itself is from the Two Tags Die - another favorite and must have item in the 'ol collection.  (I bet you are seeing a pattern forming here......lol!)   And the blingage - yummo on the glimmer brads returning to the New Idea Book and Catalog!!!  I added my two little somethings in the upper left hand corner instead of the lower right. like the picture, because I really felt my card needed some balance in that upper corner......let's call that - creative liberty ;)  I love the little flowers adorned with a simple brad - cute, huh?

Oh - you are wondering where that stamp for the main sentiment and in the lower portion of the card are from?????  Sorry - I was getting to that.....  Both of those stamps are from a new upcoming hostess set, Happiest Birthday Wishes.  Oh - the NEW hostess program - you are going to love it....that is all I am going to say - check back when the new catalog goes live to check it out....trust me, it is sooooo worth the wait.  ;)  Anyway, getting back to those stamps....the main one was stamped with poppy parade ink and punched with the 1 3/4 inch circle punch.  And the scallop circle mat - that is from the pennant die.....so sad to see this retire - just for that scallop circle alone.......so get it while you can.  The bottom of the card looks like it has been wheeled with a wheel, doesn't it???  Well, it hasn't.  It is one stamp that I stamped repeatedly across the bottom with wild wasabi classic ink.  This is one of the awesome benefits of the clear mount stamps - I was able to stamp that without having to use my stamp a ma jig.  Of course, the same effect could be achieved with wood mount stamps and the stamp a ma jig - I just got to skip that step.  A simple bow of poppy parade ribbon completes the front of the card.

I also had to pretty up the inside, as well.  I had to.......  hehehe

I started with a whisper white base and then added some stamps, designer series paper and voila - a cute card center.  well, at least I think it is cute - nothing like tooting my own horn, huh?  lol!!!

Let me know what you think.  I honestly had a hard time not ripping, tearing, sponging, distressing, etc.....but I think I pulled it off.....or maybe not ;)

You Say Goodbye.....

......and I'll say hello.   Hello.  Hello.  
I don't know why you say good bye and I say hello.

Ok - I will stop there.  Of course I can't imagine that you aren't ALL Beatle fans.......

Wondering where I am going with this - aren't you???  I know I would be wondering if I weren't on this end?  lol!

WELL........I needed a baby card to welcome a special little girl (congrats Jennifer!) into this world and I pulled out a retiring favorite of mine - Animal Stories.  Get - good bye - hello????  retiring - baby????  get it???  hehe.......


Wanna see what I made?  If you know me and it is a brand new little baby girl - it is going to be pink, right?  All pink - all the time.

I started with a crumb cake card base...yummo......  I then stamped the animals from animal story in pink pirouette, pretty in pink and regal rose onto whisper white card stock and then matted them with their corresponding colors of card stock.  Before adhering them down I tied a knot of wide striped grosgrain ribbon around it - this ribbon makes such a statement!

I then stamped a couple of tiny tags before punching them and adhering them to the ribbon with a piece of  white baker's twine.  simple baby love.

I used some new sneak peek items for the new grandma.......but that will have to wait for another day ;)

I'm sailing away.......

Set an open course for the Virgin Sea.
'Cause I've got to be free......
Free to face the life that's ahead of me.

That has to be one of my ALL time favorite Styx songs - ever!  If you are familiar with it -keep humming away as you read along.  :)

I have a little goodnesss to share with you today......and it all began with a sketch.  I know - shocked, right?  Me starting with a sketch or color challenge.....I can't help myself....that is what inspires me.  you should try it out sometime......hehe

Anyway - back to my little creation for the day.  The sketch originated with the Create with Connie and Mary Summer Edition.  They offer up the best challenges.  Head over and check it out.  Here is the sketch:

Now I know you are probably wondering what stamp set I used for this little baby.....When I saw the sketch - I IMMEDIATELY thought to use Open Sea......but all of you are probably tired of my obsession with the nautical stuff.....so I sat on the sketch for a few days and couldn't get my mind to bend from my original vision.....so I stopped fighting it and went for it.  What do you think?

I adore "dirty" cards.  do you?  The stamps are all from Open Sea except the sentiment with is from All Holidays, which is on the retirement list.....WHAT???  I love this set - it covers just about All Holidays.....get it?  i couldn't help myself......   I just can't believe it is retiring :(  The designer series paper is from the mini catalog as well - Nautical Expedition and the baker's twine....oh how I love the baker's twine........  wanna take a closer look at the ship?  If you don't, turn your head because I am about to show you:

And I just couldn't resist the inside:

Well- that about sums it up for the day - let me know what you think - i {{luv}} comment love.....lol!!